Your questions about WP7 answered, kinda, by Microsoft's Brandon Watson

Back a few weeks agone nosotros mentioned how Microsoft's Brandon Watson would respond your questions--well a few of your questions, depending if you made the cut or non.

Weeks passed and nosotros're worried if nosotros would ever hear back and finally we did. Some good info in hither but alas, my fellow Skilful-tiers, you lot seemed to have gone for the gilded and asked him a few questions that were met with the traditional terse no comment or like canned responses.

Hey, nosotros can't blame you lot for asking and tin can't arraign Brandon for not risking his task, so golf claps all around.

The big news is probably the idea that Microsoft nonetheless has a "set of consumer features" that they have not however announced, but will be doing so shortly. (Putting pipe in the oral cavity): Interesting....whatever guesses?

Finally, no uncertainty some of his responses will set off some heated discussions, so flame on and sound off in the comments.Hit the link for the full set of questions and answers!

Special thanks to MobilityDigest for organizing this event & Brandon Watson for his time. Follow Brandon Watson on Twitter and his blog hither: blog: ManyNiches.com | twitter: @brandonwatson

one. In the photographs of WP7 running on phones with a slide out keyboard the home UI never rotated into landscape mode. Will this be addressed past launch? Is there any requirement for developers to make input heavy apps piece of work in mural mode or is this something that market demands will be looked to?

We would adopt not to annotate on pre-release photos and forthcoming features

2. Ane of the well-nigh prominent features of WP7 are the panoramic controls yet MS hasn't provided tools to developers and instead we're seeing developers create the controls and share them with other developers. The problem with this is the same as WM6.v and the fragmented feel this leads to. MS needs to take the lead and ensure a seamless experience across all applications. This is a large omission since it'southward the look and experience of WP7. When volition MS accost this?

Nosotros love to hear from our developers, and one of the things which came up fourth dimension and time again was a want to accept official panorama and pin controls from Microsoft. We announced at TechEd in New Orleans that nosotros would be releasing these controls subsequently in the summer with the concluding release of the Windows Phone Developer Tools.

3. The lack of native lawmaking has been addressed by stating that the best feel is needed and that requires some level of control. Information technology's obvious that at some betoken y'all'll have to let developers use native code. Currently WP7 is going to be missing apps like Swype and Skyfire which, as an HD2 user, I'chiliad sure yous can capeesh how much they add together to the terminate user experience. We all understand preserving the end user experience, and I retrieve it'southward pretty clear to anybody involved that the demand is there for native code and that information technology'due south inevitable that MS permit it. Why not treat information technology the same way you lot treat Xbox Live services and limit it to top tier developers and practise whatever additional checks you need to? The omission is going to limit besides many apps.

I actually don't agree that a managed lawmaking evolution platform limits app evolution. There is tremendous upside to using common tools and platforms that are consequent across a range of popular product environments. The key is a blueprint principle that says we'll deliver a consistently great end user experience, not how we handle native access.

That said, today the all-time way to exist confident that applications are behaving in a way that results in a great feel beyond the unabridged phone is to limit native access. Furthermore, regardless of whether or not an awarding has native access we don't allow changes to the soft input panel, and so things like Swype even so wouldn't piece of work as currently architected.

4. In a like vein, some multitasking is inevitable or else apps like Skype and Pandora would be crippled. Apple tree already learned their lesson and it's inevitable for WP7 to accept some multitasking. Same question – why the delay? Why not open multitasking to a select set of developers nether controlled conditions? The longer MS delays in granting this, the more the omission will exist prominent and used as a reason that WP7 is behind the other OSes.

Our telephone platform allows users to multitask while also optimizing for phone operation. This is why the user manner is restricted to one procedure at a fourth dimension.

There are mobile platforms that let anything to run in the background, but they are also dealing with mounting customer dissatisfaction with phone functioning – our intent is enable customers to engage is multiple tasks simultaneously on the phone, while avoiding the dissatisfaction pitfalls the come when you compromise performance.

5. We've yet to run into a YouTube application. How volition YouTube be treated? If there's a link in an electronic mail or website, what action will the device take? Similarly, we know that Flash volition be a part of WP7 but its availability at launch has been questioned. Will it be active at launch and is this the YouTube solution?

We go along to work with our partners and want to provide for the best user feel. YouTube is obviously a very of import partner. Flash volition not be available at launch, although nosotros will piece of work to bring Flash technology to future versions of Windows Phones.

6. For years Windows Mobile has had front facing cameras and upon shipment to the U.s.a. the camera was always neutered. Thanks to the EVO and iPhone four those days are over. Is MS going to provide any software to have advantage of the availability of forepart facing cameras? Along the same lines, Live Messenger permits video calling (over information). Will Messenger with camera support exist at launch?

We certainly become that pictures and photos are critical to delivering a great customer experience, merely we take nothing new to share at this time. The consumer features of the telephone will be discussed in the coming months. For now, we are actively engaging developers about the features which are important to them, to ensure that we have great apps available at launch.

seven. What can you lot tell united states near support for Macs? Will at that place exist a Zune Mac application or volition Mark/Space be utilized?

No plans to announce at this fourth dimension.

8. Microsoft has had ebook readers for Windows Mobile for some time. Volition there be an ebook reader present at launch on WP7? Volition Market take ebooks for auction?

There are some great ebook applications in the Windows Telephone Market and nosotros are working with those companies to provide dandy ebook experiences on Windows Telephone 7.

9. How does electronic mail treat html with embedded images? On Windows Mobile the user needs to take the extra step of downloading internet pictures. On a PC you can add trusted senders then that they automatically download. On the iPhone it automatically downloads html internet images. How will WP7 treat this? Any screen shots available?

Here again, we're working to balance customer experience and ease of utilize with performance, only don't have anything specific to share at this time.

10. Some developers have noted that many of their app ideas are dropped because they are incommunicable to implement on WP7 for one reason or another. Apps should either add the fun factor (games) to the phone, or the utility or phone capabilities extensions factor (until MS offers the functionality built-in in a new release). Seems similar, with such lockdown and limitations, only games would make sense to build on WP7. Tin y'all name a few app categories, beyond games, that can be built on WP7 and which cannot exist built on WM6.5.x or otherwise explicate the enhancements that are brought to WP7 beyond WM6.5?

We are working with many software companies looking to build applications across a range of categories similar games, amusement, productivity, video, travel, social, communications, lifestyle and business organization. The only major brake on apps is the inability to utilise native code, but C# has long been used by millions of developers to build an nearly space variety of apps.

There are many amazing applications which can be built for Windows Phone 7. The features and functionality enabled past Windows Phone vii open the door for far more developers than had been the instance with Windows Mobile six.x.

xi. Will WP7 sync Outlook tasks? If so, I assume a task tile would exist. Any screenshots available?

We accept a set of consumer features which haven't been publicly discussed, stay tuned.

12. How exercise y'all retrieve Windows Phone 7 v1.0 matches up with iPhone 4.0 and Android 2.2? Google has admitted that Android was really a beta when it was released. Now that both rivals have updated and launched before Windows Phone 7 v1.0, where do you come across Windows Phone 7.0 in the market, feature wise and advertising wise?

Windows Phone 7 really is a different kind of phone, from the smart new blueprint to the integrated experiences in hubs. We didn't set out to replicate what other are doing on a feature-by-feature basis, or even provide a similar client feel. The ability to integrate your data with the telephone creates a distinctly different experience than what you become with jumping in and out of detached apps.

Windows Telephone vii will certainly exist a first pace in a new direction, but we accept no intention of releasing beta quality code into the market place and calling it "done."

xiii. The new hardware buzzword is 'gyroscope'. To date we haven't heard of any requirement of a gyroscope in WP7 simply patently if that's left out at initial launch and then it's going to lead to the exact fragmentation betwixt phones that MS is trying to avoid with WP7. What can you tell us about this?

There is no gyroscope.

xiv. Will front facing cameras be required on WP7 devices? Will you provide developer tools for them?

There is no specific requirement for front facing cameras.

15. To date we know of one CPU that's been canonical for WP7 – Qualcomm's Snapdragon. MS has a history of working with Tegra and in that location are other CPUs being used in smartphones that appear to have the specs that WP7 requires. What CPU's have been approved to date?

Nosotros have not published the specific hardware requirements, merely I would note that we're working with OEM and MO partners to provide customers and developers with a consequent hardware experience across all devices is primal to the Windows Phone 7 Series strategy.

There is a single Windows Phone 7 hardware specification. Developers can count on the fact that all Windows Telephone 7 Series hardware will include; a powerful processor, 256 MB of RAM with a minimum of 4 GB Flash, 802.11 b/chiliad wireless), 4 point, truthful multi-affect capacitive only screen and 5 sensors (A-GPS, accelerometer, compass, proximity and light). Within this specification there are two screen options; with WVGA at launch and HVGA coming shortly thereafter. There will be only 2 options.

These specifications and requirements are reflected in the tools and guidance we are providing at MIX and will continue to update throughout the months ahead.

16. Micro USB has go standard simply it does not appear to be a requirement of WP7. Is it? This is some other possible fragmentation consequence equally USB host services, for example, would crave it.

See above.

17. The headlines are filled with iPhone4 and Android 2.2. There'south still not a lot of talk about Windows Phone 7 aside from the blogospheres. In that location'south plainly a soft borderline to get some attention before June 24 when a few million people lock in contracts for two years on a new iPhone. This manifestly ties into release dates equally well. October has been repeated on numerous occasions. This plays into people's decisions to buy a phone or wait. What is MS doing about mindshare and advertising? What can y'all tell united states of america about release dates and availability?

The release date has always been "holiday 2022"and you tin expect to see Microsoft working difficult to promote Windows Phone 7 as we become closer to availability.

We feel nosotros've done a off-white job of giving people an early wait at Windows Telephone 7 so that people who are already interested in something different can start to plan ahead a scrap.

eighteen. If a user on an Xbox live game on WP7 pauses a game, can they resume the game using their Xbox assuming the developer used the same source lawmaking?

To appointment we've shared that managed developers can bring Xbox Live features to a mobile phone. The Windows Phone 7 games hub will provide access to a managed portfolio of Xbox LIVE and non-Xbox LIVE games. It also lets users:

• Collect Achievements and build their Gamerscore
• View Xbox LIVE Leaderboards
• See their Xbox LIVE Avatar
• Access Spotlight feeds
• Add Xbox Alive friends to their friends list while out on the go
• Turn-based (asynchronous) multiplayer gaming

Clearly we are giving developers quite the large of freedom with the platform and what they can practise with it. It will be pretty exciting to see some of the scenarios they create, including the ane we showed at MIX where a game was paused on the panel and picked upwards and resumed on the device.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/your-questions-about-wp7-answered-kinda-microsofts-brandon-watson

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